A day of African music documentary films presented by the Parkway Theater, DEMO, and Sound Unseen

Hip-Hop Colony, 5:45 pm, $5

Music is the Weapon, 7 pm, FREE SCREENING

Africa Unite, 8:15 pm, $5

Presented by Sound Unseen

Hip-Hop Colony, 5:45 pm, $5

Hip- Hop Colony takes you through a journey into the heart of East Africa, Kenya - a former British colony, where hip-hop has firmly established its roots amongst the local citizens. The film takes an intimate look at African hip-hop, while establishing it’s genesis in Kenya.

Music is the Weapon, 7 pm, FREE SCREENING

Composer, Afrobeat pioneer, and human rights activist, Nigeria’s Fela Kuti (1938–1997) is often described as the African Bob Marley. In 1982, Fela discussed his life and work and performed some of his influential songs for this documentary by Stéphane Tchal Gadjieff and Jean-Jacques Flori. Both a fascinating profile of a great artist of modern Africa and an exploration of the political context of his work, Music Is the Weapon features Fela performing some of his best-known songs, including ITT, Army Arrangement, and Authority Stealing.

Africa Unite, 8:15 pm, $5

Presented by Sound Unseen

Africa Unite is a singular and masterfully-executed film by Stephanie Black that is at once concert tribute, Marley family travelogue, and humanitarian documentary, igniting the screen with the spirit of world-renowned reggae icon Bob Marley in its every frame. In commemoration of Bob’s 60th birthday, Africa Unite is centered on the Marleys’ first-time-ever family trip to Ethiopia in 2005. Includes rare footage of world-renowned reggae icon Bob Marley.

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